Pet Ultrasound Provides Safe and Effective Diagnostic Tool at Bryan Animal Vet Clinic

At Fountain City Veterinary Hospital we pride ourselves at having the most advanced tools and equipment at our veterinarian's fingertips and one of those tools is the pet ultrasound. The ultrasound is in important tool, but not one found at many animal hospital clinics due to the equipment’s high cost. Our Bryan veterinary team is highly experienced and knowledgeable about ultrasound, with the equipment part of our practice for more than a decade.

Painless, Non-Invasive Ultrasound Available at Fountain City Veterinary Hospital

Unlike X-rays that produce radiation, pet ultrasound uses ultrasound waves to produce an image of a pet’s internal organs. The equipment directs ultrasound waves at the internal structures and then records the reflections, or echoes, the ultrasound waves create. Such an image reveals details of the organs, allowing our vet team to review the organs and diagnose any inconsistencies or problems that may be present. Ultrasound is especially beneficial for viewing the abdominal organs, heart, and reproductive organs, but is also used in other areas, such as the eyes, to detect underlying issues.

Ultrasounds for humans are commonly associated with detecting and checking on pregnancies, and it can be used the same way for pets. Other vital uses include evaluating internal organs in pets that have been experiencing abdominal symptoms, such as diarrhea, vomiting or problems with urination. Another use is for pets experiencing symptoms associated with reproductive organs, such as an unexplained loss of appetite, weight loss or fever. Ultrasound is extremely useful for detecting issues other diagnostic tools, such as X-rays, are unable to uncover. With ultrasound, our Bryan animal hospital team can actually view inside the organs.

Ultrasound images allow our veterinarian to gauge any changes or abnormalities in the internal organs, including their size, shape, tissue density and even their position within the body. The procedure is commonly used for examining the liver, pancreas, spleen, intestines, stomach, kidneys, uterus and prostrate gland and can also be useful for detecting abnormal lymph nodes, fluid retention, abdominal masses or tumors. An ultrasound exam can guide our vets when they need to take fluid or tissue samples from a pet for further testing.

Pet ultrasound is painless, non-invasive and typically allows pets to go home the same day. The procedure does not require anesthesia or sedation, although pets do have to lie still on their backs. The procedure generally involves first clipping the hair in the area that’s to be examined, such as the abdomen, and then using a probe on the pet’s skin. The probe is attached to the ultrasound machine and sends out ultrasound waves which are absorbed or echoed back by the internal organs, producing an image on a computer screen. The entire procedure generally takes less than an hour. In addition to ultrasound, our Bryan animal vet clinic team is experienced and up-to-date on other technologies and procedures.